Phantom Pains
by BeyondTheClouds777
Summary: Having a prosthetic leg isn't easy. Especially when the cold sets in. Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Takes place shortly before "Race to the Edge", so they look as they would look in said show. Have fun, and enjoy! :D**

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Winter on Berk was not a beautiful time. In fact, if anything, it was just the opposite. Sure, the snow was beautiful when it was falling, and it was always fun to catch snowflakes on one's tongue, but overnight, Berk would go from a warm afternoon to a white-washed land that looked entirely built up of ice and snow.

But, such weather was common for Berk and its inhabitants, and they complained little about such things. It was more of a nuisance for them than anything else, having to patch the roofs that caved in due to large amounts of heavy snow piled on top of them, along with trying to keep warm through the night.

Besides, since the Vikings were so used to the cold weather conditions, a freezing afternoon or snowy evening came as no shock and no problem; they were used to dealing with blizzards and snowstorms that blew in from the North.

But there was always one week of the year; the week leading up to Devastating Winter, that always seemed colder than all the other days. For most of the Vikings, the answer was simple: get extra blankets from the Great Hall, have their hearths and fireplaces well-lit, and sleep with their dragons until it blew over.

Unless you were Hiccup. He had other things to deal with that were harder than simply keeping warm.

"NO, SNOTLOUT! DON'T DARE HOOKFANG TO SCORCH YOU! … TUFFNUT, GET THAT DAGGER OUT OF YOUR MOUTH! … RUFFNUT, STOP TRYING TO KILL FISHLEGS!"

Hiccup ran back and forth in the dragon academy as his students (and less-than-cooperative friends) did all the things he told them _not_ to do. For instance: Snotlout was chasing Hookfang while holding a target out in front of him, and Tuffnut was trying to decide whether or not he could swallow a dagger without killing himself, and if the dagger would slice open his stomach if he somehow accomplished it. Meanwhile, Ruffnut was trying to see whose helmet was stronger (hers or Fishlegs'), and she was using a hammer to test it.

While the helmets were on their heads.

Astrid watched casually from the sidelines, leaning up against her dragon's side. "What are you so worried about, Hiccup?" she asked offhandedly, crossing her arms over her chest. Snow was falling now; the wind was a light breeze, but Hiccup could tell that it meant trouble later on when it got stronger. "They do this all the time."

"Yeah, I know," Hiccup said. He ducked as Hookfang spat a blast of fire at Snotlout, missed, and almost scorched Hiccup. The fireball hit the wall and sizzled out. Hiccup glared at his cousin, and Snotlout shrugged.

"Hey, Hookfang!" Snotlout said. "Do the thing again!"

"I _forbid_ you to do the thing again," Hiccup said.

"Come on, Hiccup," Snotlout said. "This is our last training session before Devastating Winter sets in."

"I know," Hiccup said, putting his head in his hand, "and that's exactly why you guys need to cooperate. If Dagur, and we're not ready, then we're in serious trouble."

"With a capital T," Tuffnut said across from them, holding a dagger over his open mouth. Hiccup raced over to him and pried the dagger out of his grip before throwing it to the ground beside him. Tuffnut, unfazed, continued, "Wait, would you capitalize the S, or the T?"

Hiccup growled under his breath. "Nevermind," he said. "Just...don't...hurt anything, alright? Astrid, make sure he doesn't get ahold of anything sharper than his finger."

Astrid nodded silently.

"Hiccup," Fishlegs said, finally managing to break away from Ruffnut long enough to speak to their leader, "the wind is getting stronger. Do you think we should head to the Great Hall, before it gets worse?"

Hiccup nodded. "Yeah, you're right," he observed quietly. "Come on, let's go." He sighed. A whole day of training that could have been useful, wasted because of the insanity of his friends. It wasn't the first time it had happened, and Hiccup was pretty sure it wouldn't be the last time, either.

He hoped his friends didn't see him limping as he went to mount Toothless. His leg had been bothering him all day - or, more so, what was _left_ of his leg. It was an odd sensation. He knew his left leg was gone, but it was almost as though he could still feel it, and it felt like a throbbing ache that he couldn't shake himself out of.

He steadied himself against Toothless' side, and then made a move to get on his back. Before he got far, though, a sharp stab of pain raced up his leg, and he winced, hoping his friends didn't notice it.

Fishlegs was the first to realize his pained expression, and when he did, Hiccup had already seated himself on Toothless' back. "Hiccup," he said, "are you alright?"

Those four words instantly had the other youths looking in his direction. Astrid looked angry, like she usually did, but there was a small hint of concern behind her eyes, and Hiccup didn't fail to notice it.

Snotlout looked annoyed, Ruffnut looked confused, and Tuffnut looked like he wanted to try swallowing daggers again.

Hiccup shook his head, trying for a smile. "I'm fine," he said. "It'll pass…"

The pain _didn't_ pass. If anything, it only got worse, until he hissed through his teeth and doubled over, the side of his head on the back of Toothless' neck while his hand clutched at what was left of his leg.

"It'll pass?" Snotlout questioned as Astrid and Fishlegs hurried towards Hiccup. After a moment, Snotlout followed them as well. " _What_ will pass?"

Hiccup waved his hand to his friends, but they only looked more worried. "Hey, don't worry," he assured. "It's...just...one of those stupid things that comes with being an amputee…"

Astrid frowned. "It doesn't just look like - whoa." She cut herself off, springing forward to catch Hiccup as he fell sideways off Toothless. Toothless growled with concern, nuzzling Hiccup as the boy stood up straight, albeit with a pained expression on his face.

"Seriously," he said. "It's just...just...actually, just help me on Toothless again."

"Do you have a _deathwish_?" Astrid snapped. "No _way_ you can fly like this." As it was, it took both Astrid and Fishlegs to keep Hiccup from face planting the ground again.

"Then...then help me walk," Hiccup muttered. "I'm...I'm fine…"

Another wave of pain crashed over him, and this time, he screamed. Ruffnut and Tuffnut shouted something no one could make out, while Astrid quickly lowered Hiccup to the ground and cradled his head in her lap. Toothless shrieked, and Snotlout ran forward as if to help in some way.

"What's wrong, what happened!?" Snotlout shouted frantically.

No one answered him for a good long while. "Snotlout," Astrid said from where she was sitting on the ground with Hiccup's head in her lap, "go get Stoick. Ruffnut and Tuffnut, you get Gothi."

For once in their lives, the assigned three didn't argue. They mounted their dragons and headed off instantly.

"I've read about something like this before," Fishlegs said to Astrid. "And Gobber's talked to me about it before, too. He called it 'phantom pains.'"

Astrid cringed. She had heard that term before, but that didn't mean she was very familiar with it. All she knew was that it was painful. "Well?" she said. "Continue?" She didn't want to imagine the pain Hiccup was in. He was shivering, and Astrid knew it was from his pain, not the cold, and that was already worrisome enough without the fact that he was gasping for breath, his chest heaving.

"Well," Fishlegs said, breaking her out of her thoughts, "it's kind of hard to explain, but...well, right now, Hiccup probably feels as though he still has his leg."

"Yeah, so what?" Astrid said. "What's so bad about that?" What's so _painful_ about that, more-like.

"And it probably feels like it's being sliced to ribbons or stabbed with a white-hot sword," Fishlegs said quietly.

Astrid hesitated. "That doesn't sound pleasant," she said under her breath, although she sounded more worried than anything, which was something Fishlegs rarely saw in the young dragon rider. They looked back down at Hiccup: his eyes were squeezed shut, tears slipping past his lids, and he was moaning and hissing through his teeth.

"It hurts…" he whimpered. Astrid put her hand on his forehead to check his temperature and make him relax. He felt warmer than usual, but Astrid didn't know why. "It hurts…" he choked.

Astrid looked at Fishlegs helplessly, and he looked back at her in the same way. "What do we do?" Fishlegs asked.

Astrid didn't answer him right away, and when she did, she spoke in a quiet tone she wasn't known to have. "The healer and Stoick are coming," she said. "The...the healer will know what to do. He'll be fine." She ran her fingers through Hiccup's hair, but that was it. She couldn't do anything to take away his present pain, and she hated herself for it.

He relaxed when she stroked his hair, but even then, it didn't seem like very much. Just a small gesture of compassion that helped abate some of his agony. Astrid wished that he never went through _any_ pain _at all_ in the first place.

The sound of wings flapping, followed by Stoick's shout of, "HICCUP!" as he flew in on Skullcrusher met their ears. The dragon landed in the academy, and Stoick dismounted the dragon, racing instantly towards where Astrid was sitting and Hiccup was lying, twitching and convulsing in pain.

"What happened!?" Stoick demanded as he bent down and took Hiccup into his own arms. Hiccup moaned in protest of being jostled. "What is it!?"

"Phantom pain, sir," Fishlegs reported worriedly. "Or...or I think that's what it is…"

Astrid stood. "What do we do?"

"The best thing is to keep him relaxed," Stoick said, although he seemed to be talking to himself more than the others, his eyes glued to Hiccup's face. "Keep him calm, get 'im warm...the cold hasn't done him any favors, but he'll feel better when he gets warmed up a bit."

Hiccup gasped and choked in pain, resting his head against his father's shoulder. Stoick smoothed his hair briefly and looked back at Astrid again. "I'm taking him home," he said.

"I'll come with you," Astrid offered instantly. She wasn't going to let Hiccup suffer without being there with him. She was his friend - in fact, she might have even gone on to say that they were _more_ than friends.

Not out loud, of course. Silently, to herself, if ever.

Stoick nodded and mounted Skullcrusher while Astrid hopped on Stormfly's back. Within moments, the dragons were airborne and heading straight for the Chief's house. As soon as they got there, Hiccup was put to bed, and Astrid was given strict instructions to watch Hiccup, which she agreed to without question. Stoick went back out to get soup from the Great Hall and a few extra blankets.

Hiccup cracked his eyes open and looked up at her. "Astrid?" he asked blearily. "I...I d-"

Astrid put her finger on his lips to silence him. "Save it," she said. "Why didn't you tell us your leg was hurting?"

Hiccup swallowed. He didn't really want to speak at all. He wanted to scream because of the growing pain in his leg, but he refused to for fear of looking weak in Astrid's eyes. "It...it wasn't b-bad, u-until…" Hiccup started, and then let his voice trail off, hissing through his teeth in pain.

Astrid sighed and put her hand on his cheek. "Oh, Hiccup...you're shaking like a leaf…" she said, sounding more as though she were talking to herself and not to him. "Your Dad will be back soon. You'll feel better after you've warmed up. That's what he said."

Hiccup nodded and closed his eyes for just a moment.

…

"Hiccup?"

Hiccup blinked rapidly and squinted at the light streaming through his window. The first thing he registered was the fact that it was warm - too warm, even. The second thing he noticed was Astrid shaking his shoulder.

"What?" Hiccup blinked, pushing himself into a sitting position. He was still on his bed, but it was sunny outside now. "What happened? What time is it?"

"Around noon," Astrid said. "February fourth if you want to know. You know, I was starting to wonder when you would wake up. You were asleep for hours."

"That's what happens when you sleep, Astrid," Hiccup said. "It normally goes on for a few hours."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Well, you were asleep for nearly twenty-four hours," she said. "Your Dad said that it was normal, but that really didn't make it any less unsettling. How do you feel?"

"Better," Hiccup said. "Yeah...phantom pains never last more than a day."

"That's good," Astrid said. "But still, I think you should take it easy. I do _not_ want you to relapse into it, alright?"

"Alright," Hiccup agreed. "Alright, I'll take it easy...but I won't like it."

Astrid rolled her eyes again and reached over the desk, grabbing a bowl and a spoon. "Here," she said. "It's soup...Oh, don't give me that look. I didn't make it." Hiccup sighed with relief. "And anyways, my cooking can't be _that_ bad."

Hiccup made a face. "We'll talk about it when you've tasted your Yaknog," he said, reaching to take the bowl from her.

Astrid huffed, but said nothing. "Whatever," she said at length. "Eat your soup, snarky."

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 **Author's Notes:**

 **What'cha guys think? Any good? I'm going to do another chapter with Valka and Hiccup and Hiccup having a phantom pain, so look out for that if you guys want, and I'll see you guys then! :D**

 **-BeyondTheClouds777**


	2. Chapter 2

**And here is the second chapter, taking place a little while after HTTYD2 (it'll say how long afterwards in the story, don't worry. :D). So, RAC TO THE EDGE TOMORROW! I learned that we'll get a total of 52 episodes in 13 episode chunks, spanning about 2 years...so, we'll probably get about 13 new episodes every six or so months.**

 **I'm probably gonna end up watching all 13 episodes the day they air, lol. :D Anyways, enjoy the next chapter! :D**

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Hiccup limped into his house and shut the door quietly - almost silently, actually - behind him after Toothless had entered the abode as well. He felt terrible, with a throbbing headache invading his skull, and another pounding sensation that had taken residence in what was left of his left leg. It was to be expected, and he knew it. It hadn't been more than a week since the battle against Drago, and the ice was still melting, most of it still there, which made the air cooler, and led to Hiccup's phantom pains being more probable.

But really, he had hoped that he wouldn't have one again. He hated the feeling, and more than that, though, it hurt. He would have tears streaming down his face, and he couldn't stop them no matter how badly he tried, or how terribly he wanted to.

He turned around. It was late winter, and most of the Vikings spent their nights covering themselves in warm blankets and their dragons before promptly falling asleep. Hiccup knew that sleep wouldn't come easy for him. At least not until his phantom pain ended.

He made it to his loft, but that was it. He collapsed onto his bed and stayed there for a long time, not moving, not falling asleep, and not exactly _thinking_ very much, either. Toothless crooned and nudged him, and Hiccup rubbed the dragon's head slowly.

"It's alright, bud," he said quietly. His mother was sleeping downstairs, and he didn't want to wake her up. She would probably come to wish him goodnight if she knew he was back, and then she would see right through his "I'm-not-in-pain" act and probably end up getting very worried. He didn't want that. He didn't like people worrying about him, least of all his mother, whom he had just met.

He shut his eyes at length, and sleep engulfed his being.

He woke up what he assumed was hours later when the pain in his leg had gone from a gentle throbbing to a stabbing, burning feeling. He was covered in cold sweat, and tears were pouring down his face before he could even try to stop them.

Toothless was nudging him, cooing at him, growling with worry and pawing Hiccup ever so slightly. Hiccup tried to control his heavy breathing, but failed miserably. Another fierce pain shot up his leg, and he bit his lip so hard he was sure he would draw blood in an attempt to not cry out. Toothless nuzzled Hiccup's chest, and HIccup doubled over, his tears soaking his dragon's scaly head.

"It's okay, it's okay…" Hiccup whispered to himself. "It'll pass...it'll pass...it's okay…" Toothless growled at him worriedly, and Hiccup hugged him tighter. "I'm alright, bud," he said hoarsely. It wasn't the first time Hiccup had a phantom pain. He had them nearly every night after he first lost his leg, and since then, they had been less, but Hiccup still hadn't gotten over the sensation. He would never be used to it. Not now, and not in ten years.

He managed to lay down again, and once he did, he curled into himself on his side, facing the doorway in a fetal position. Toothless nudged his back, and when Hiccup didn't respond, the dragon draped his wing over his rider and sniffed him, ruffling his hair with his exhaling breath.

Another stab of pain hit Hiccup's leg, and Hiccup didn't have time to even prepare to hold it in before he found himself screaming. This was it. This was just too much. This was his breaking point, and he had reached it.

Toothless looked panicked, but didn't move from where he was positioned. He knew how bad Hiccup's pain was, and how badly phantom pains hurt his rider. The dragon had seen every single one Hiccup ever had.

And then, Hiccup heard footsteps. Frantic footsteps, racing up the stairwell. He shut his eyes tightly when more pain invaded his body to keep from screaming a second time. He knew who the footsteps belonged to. He didn't want to worry his mother any more than he already had.

Valka appeared in the doorway, a candle in one of her hands. She whispered her son's name before she raced over to him, setting the candle on Hiccup's desk. Toothless stepped back, and Valka sat down on the edge of the bed, her eyes full of panic and concern.

 _She probably heard me scream_ , Hiccup noted to himself. _That's enough to put_ anyone _on edge_.

"Hiccup," she said, her voice just barely rising over a whisper although by the tone of her voice she wanted to shout and scream and demand what was wrong. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Hiccup clenched his teeth. He wanted to say something along the lines of _Oh nothing, I'm fine, don't worry, you can go back to sleep_ , but even as he opened his mouth to say just that, he realized that he didn't want her to leave. Normally, whenever he had phantom pains, his father (or even Astrid, if it happened during the day) would help him, but he didn't have his father anymore, and Astrid wasn't there.

Besides, having his mother with him was comforting. He didn't know what it was, but just her being there was...soothing. He had a lot more to learn about mothers, he supposed. He had only had one for about a week.

"Hurts…" he moaned. "It...it hurts, Mom…"

Valka put her hand on his head and ran her fingers through his hair. "What hurts, Hiccup?" she asked.

Hiccup choked on a sob briefly before answering. "M...my leg…" he croaked. "The...the one that...that isn't...there…" It sure _felt_ like it was there, though, and it felt like it was being chewed on by a Monstrous Nightmare and set on fire a minute later.

A look of realization crossed over Valka's face, and she sighed sympathetically. "Oh, son…" she whispered softly, moving her hand from his hair to his cheek and wiping away his tears with her thumb. It was no surprise to Hiccup that she knew what phantom pains were. She lived on Berk for the first twenty years of her life, after all. She was raised on Berk, and amputees were a common sight. Most the Berkians either knew people or had family members who had lost some part of them during a dragon raid or an Outcast attack or something along those lines.

He sobbed and gasped in pain. "P-please make it stop…" he begged, feeling pathetic.

Valka looked helpless. Hiccup thought about what he had asked her: how _could_ she make his pain stop? There wasn't anything she could do about it, or else, Hiccup knew she already would have.

The more he thought about it, the more selfish he felt. She shouldn't have had to take care of him. He should have been able to do it by himself instead of burdening her.

"I'm...I'm sorry…" Hiccup whispered. "Sorry...I...I…"

"Shh," Valka said in response, stroking his hair out of his face, and Hiccup quieted almost instantly. "You don't have to be sorry, baby…"

"But that's...that's it," Hiccup said slowly. "I'm...I'm almost twenty one...I should be able to take care of myself. I'm...I'm not a baby…"

Valka sighed. "Oh, Hiccup," she said. "I am your _mother_. You will _always_ a baby in my mind."

Hiccup blinked at her. "Alright…?" he said at length. "I...I guess I have a lot...a lot more to learn about mothers, then...don't I?"

Valka smiled softly. "I guess so, sweetheart," she said kindly. She put her hand against his forehead, and her smile turned into a small frown. "You're running a temperature," she commented.

Hiccup sighed. It wasn't the first time he had gotten himself worked up and eventually, sick. "It's nothing," he murmured. "I'll get over it...Agh…" He shut his eyes again in pain. Vakla massaged his forehead with her thumb, and he sighed, this time with relief.

"Hang on," Valka said. "I'll be right back, son." She stood up and left before Hiccup could ask her where she was going. The room fell silent, broken only by Hiccup's almost constant moans of pain and heavy breathing while Toothless cooed and nuzzled him calmingly.

After a few moments, Valka returned, carrying a basin full of cold water and a rag. She sat down beside Hiccup on the bed, soaked the rag thoroughly, squeezed all the excess water out of it and dabbed Hiccup's forehead. Hiccup sighed contentedly and closed his eyes. He hadn't realized how hot he felt until Valka put the rag on his forehead.

"Th...thanks, Mom…" Hiccup whispered.

"You don't need to thank me, love," Valka said in the same soft, gentle tone she had used most that night. "I'm just taking care of my son." She smiled at him, and he smiled back. And then, he had to squeeze his eyes shut when more pain crashed over his body.

"Shhhh, it's alright," Valka soothed. "It's alright, it's alright, rest. Just rest."

"I can't…" Hiccup choked, sobs ripping through his throat no matter how hard he tried holding them back. "I can't, Mom...it hurts...it hurts so bad…" He sucked in a shaky breath, more tears spilling from his eyes and rolling down his face.

Valka re-wet the cloth and put it on his forehead before touching his shoulder gently. "You're tense," she whispered. "Relax. It'll help. Easy…"

Hiccup nodded and tried to do as she had suggested, but it wasn't easy. "I...I can't…" he whimpered. He couldn't even ease his breathing anymore. The pain was mounting, and he knew it. "I c-can't...m'sorry…"

"No, no," Valka said, caressing his cheek softly. "Don't apologize. Don't apologize, Hiccup. Don't you _dare_..."

Hiccup choked on another sob, his heart on his sleeve, transparent in the eyes of his caring mother. He shut his eyes for the utmost time that evening as if he could somehow block his pain out.

He felt Valka lift his upper body, and when he opened his eyes, he realized he was lying in her arms, her worried eyes staring into his tired ones. She was straddling the bed, holding her pain-stricken boy in her arms with gentleness only a mother would know.

She soothed him for what felt like hours, whispering nothings and sometimes humming. At long last, Hiccup found himself relaxing in her hold. The pain was still there, but it had dulled into something small and manageable that he could disregard with ease.

"M...mom…" he whispered, his eyes closing on their own.

"Shh, don't speak," Valka coaxed. "Sleep."

Hiccup closed his eyes.

He woke up alone, in the middle of the night, to the vision of his father's death in his head. He was sweating, and he felt sick as he sat up and rubbed his hands over his eyes.

His leg wasn't hurting as much as it did before, but now, the visions of his father were making his heart hurt. He laid back and closed his eyes again, but all he saw was the same thing: Toothless, his father running, the plasma blast…

At length, he stood up. His leg was sore, but the pain was disregardable. Toothless was sleeping in the corner, and Hiccup could imagine his mother was doing the same downstairs, because she wasn't in the loft anymore.

He walked slowly downstairs and to his mother's room.

She must have been half-awake, because she opened her eyes as soon as she heard his footsteps.

"Hiccup?" Valka asked in confusion, her voice thick from sleep. She sat up, pushing herself up on her elbow to look at her son. "What is it? What's the matter?" She took a moment to actually look at him, and she sighed sympathetically. "Nightmare?" she asked.

Hiccup nodded quietly. "Um...would...would you mind if I...if I..." He felt embarrassed now. He wanted to just go back to sleep...or, at least, _pretend_ to be asleep. He felt bad for bugging his mother now. He wasn't a baby anymore. He should have been able to take care of himself.

Valka knew what it was, though. Of course she did. She was his mother. She knew how haunted he was by nightmares, and tonight a phantom pain as well, and she knew he didn't want to be alone. She held the blankets up and looked back at Hiccup. "Come 'ere, son," she said.

Hiccup sighed, relieved as he clammered over and laid down beside her. Valka covered him warmly with the blanket and sank down beside him before wrapping her arms around his body. He shut his eyes contentedly, feeling safe. His nightmares were still fresh in his mind, but they didn't seem as real now. They felt almost like a distant memory, one that could not be grasped easily.

Valka rested her chin atop his head and smoothed his hair. His forehead still felt warm because of his fever, but it was lower than it had been previously, and she passed it off as an improvement and hugged her son tighter. Hiccup, in turn, wrapped his own arms around his mother and sighed yet again.

"Thank you..." he whispered.

Valka kissed the top of his head. "You're welcome, son," she said. "Now sleep. I'm right here."

Hiccup let his eyes close, and slept through the rest of the night.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **What did you think? Was it** _ **gooooooooood?**_ **Did you like it? Which part was your favorite: before HTTYD2, or after HTTYD2? You can tell me if you want...I would like to hear it. :D**

 **RACE TO THE EDGE TOMORROW, PEOPLE! WHOOOOOOOOO!**

 **Until next story!**

 **-BeyondTheClouds777**


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